Page 31 of Reign of the Queen
Maria left school that first day and never returned, poor misguided chick. According to Raegan, Maria's parents tried to do damage control after my grandmother started to dismantle their business holdings. Still, it was no use; they couldn't stop the hemorrhaging, and by the end of the next day, they had lost everything their family had built over a lifetime. They immediately pulled Maria out of Casbury Prep, fearing her presence could cause further loss to the family and those around her.
I feel a ton of remorse for the way things went down, memories of that day haunting my sleeping hours. I am human after all, but and it's a big but...I would do it all again without hesitation. I tried with kindness but they only seem to respect cruelty here.I know, I know, it makes me a giant turd, but oh well, it’s the price of war.
The remaining student body must have been forewarned by their parents to stay the hell out of my way and obey me at all costs or risk going down the same route as the Dias family. No one dares to meet my stare and there’s a perpetual three-foot bubble around me at all times. Even the school staff trembles in fear and holds their breath as I pass them in the hallways.Great times here at Casbury Prep; I would not fucking recommend, zero stars given. Cue rolling of the eyes.
Thing is, they still seem to fear the kings as well, irritation fills me at the thought. Those asshole kings have also apparently not thoroughly learned their lesson, although I can't directly prove it. Three days ago, someone had my gray Range Rover splattered with red paint, but "apparently no one saw who did it, and the cameras conveniently weren't working at the time.
Yesterday morning, when I reached my locker, a crude, giant naked woman was painted on it with her legs graphically spread open and my name carved into the metal door above it. Again, no one saw who must have taken hours to paint that on there. At lunch yesterday, conveniently the only things on offer for lunch were sausages, like gross greasy meaty sausages. I’m sure that was a message sent my way. These games they are playing are tedious and dangerous. They are just daring me to come after them.
Even though they don't directly interact with me, I know they are still pulling strings around here, and their commands are being obeyed. They still have power and control that I thought I had stripped them entirely of, but I was wrong to underestimate them and think one vile action would be enough. The fuckers are subdued but not broken.
I feel each of them staring at me during classes or in the halls between periods, the hairs on my neck rising and the feeling of ants crawling across my skin. Theo's constant glare on the back of my head feels like a sharp, cold dagger embedding into my spine. He doesn't bother to look away when I catch him staring,balls of steel that one. They also haven't switched seats in the classes we share together, it's more like they pretend that they don't see me or fear me, but that's just what it is, pretend.
I decided to flex my control yesterday and had Carter excused from all his classes to sit in detention all day. The look of rage on his face when he was refused entry to his classes brought immense satisfaction to my dark little heart. I got to admit his palpable rage had me a little turned on and my panties dampening.God, I love messing with him.
This morning I decided it was Theo’s turn and forced my fellow peers to snort like pigs at him in every space he entered. His reaction was like a balm to my anger, satisfaction snaking through my limbs. The vein on his forehead throbbing, his jaw clenched and his blue eyes blazing. He tried to act like it didn’t bother him, but his body told a different story.
I've all but given up on eating lunch in the school cafeteria at this point, despite the excellent cuisine offered at Casbury, minus the day of sausages. Between the stares, whispers, and people running away from me the minute I enter a room, I'm starting to feel like a monster in a horror film.Though, let's be clear here: this monster will still be standing at the end of the flick.
Raegan and I have been driving down to get lunch in the village shops daily. Even there, the staff treat us with kid's gloves, gossip in this stupid, backward town travels fast. The drive, however, helps relieve some of the tension on my shoulders and allows me to eat in peace. Plus, getting to spend one-on-one time with Raegan is always a bonus.
Raegan’s taken to slipping me her precious gummy bears throughout the day, in an attempt to get me to smile. As much as I want to, the anxiety and tension of the situation doesn’t allow much room for that anymore. I’ve lost the few friends I thought I had made here. Spencer and Elizabeth are terrified of me and Jessie, Evan and the other football players betrayed me.
Today is day nine since Maria has left, and for some reason, I feel a stirring of unease in my bones. From the moment I stepped out of my Range this morning, something felt off. As Raegan and I walk together to our lockers I can feel the intense stare of the student body in the hallways. I keep moving forward despite my feeling of trepidation. When I reach my locker, whispers are spreading from one person to the next. What awaits me there has anxiety rising in my chest and threatening to choke my breath in my lungs.
Carter leans against my locker, one leg propped back on my locker door, casually on his phone. He’s the picture of aloofness and sexy grace. My eyes give him a slow perusal starting at his red Jordan’s and working my way up over his uniform pants that hang indecently off his defined waist. His oxford shirt is wholly unbuttoned with a black wife beater shirt exposed below it, revealing his defined upper chest and clear definition of ridges of abs below. The edges of the tattoos he has below just peeking around the shirt and trailing up his collarbone. His tie is nowhere to be seen, and his blazer looks dangerously close to having its seams explode with all the stacked muscles of his arms, shoulders, and broad back.He's temptation in a six-foot-one package, but then again, so was the devil.
Stopping in front of him, anger stirs within me. I lift a brow and wait for whatever is about to happen. He finally looks up, his startling grayish-blue eyes twinkle as they meet mine. Inhaling a quick breath, my body’s affected by how stunning he actually is. He runs the pads of the fingers of his left rose tattooed hand through his hair, disturbing the strands, but making no effort to stand up straight or move away from my locker.
"Something you need, Carter?" Rolling my eyes, I take a step forward.
"All kinds of things baby. You offering anything in particular?" He looks heavenward and shrugs those broad shoulders, his eyes full of heat and a shit-eating grin. His body leans forward toward me, his tantalizing smell of lime, eucalyptus, and bergamot hits me, almost making me groan out loud.Damn, he smells so good. Down bitch, down, I have to remind my lady bits.
Twisting my body, I eye Raegan at my side with a raised eyebrow to see if she knows what this might be about. She shakes her head subtly and continues to watch the situation go down, eyes trailing across the hallway and on our very interested spectators.
"Move, Carter; I am not interested in playing with you at the moment." I stroll forward and use my shoulder and hip to check him away from my locker door. A grunt escapes him and he shifts to the locker next to mine. I nearly miss hitting him in the face when I swing my locker door open all the way, grabbing my books from inside, conscious of the movement to my right and everyone watching.
As I reach deeper into my locker for my first period stuff, a shadow covers my form, blocking out the light. Before I can turn around, I feel Carter's body lock onto mine from shoulder to waist. Bringing with it so much illicit pleasure and heat; I have to put a hand up to balance myself, allowing his body to further meld into mine. His face moves flush with the side of mine, resting his chiseled chin on my shoulder, his minty breath casting over my neck and jaw. I bite the inside of my cheek till I taste copper to prevent the moan that wants to escape out of my mouth.
"What's this about Carter?" It takes so much strength to keep my voice level and not at a moaned-filled whisper. My nipples are pebbling inside my bra, and my thighs clenching from the delicious heat coming off his body, mixed with his intoxicating smell.Sin definitely smells delicious, damn.
Carter pushes into my body until I can feel that he is thrilled to see me, a hard cock poking at my lower back. Without thinking, I push back against him, my ass against his firm thighs and hips and a soft moan wretches from his throat. "Keep doing that, and I will finger fuck you right here in the hallway, blondie." He breathes near my mouth, collecting all of my strained oxygen.
I swallow the moan that's trapped in my throat, curling my fingers against my palms, leaving crescent marks from my long nails to get some needed control back. I use the arm that isn't currently holding my balance from crashing into the locker to elbow Carter in the ribs as hard as I can. The momentum has him grunting, stepping back, giving me some much-needed space, and allowing me to swivel around and face him.
"Do that again, and I'll break your pretty boy jaw." I sneer.
"Now, now beautiful, none of that hostility, I come in peace, well mostly anyway. Although if you're interested, I could make youcumtoo." He wags his eyebrows subjectively, his tongue snaking out to lick that delectable full bottom lip. My core clenches tightly, heat rising up the back of my neck.
"Carter…" I literally am at the end of my patience with him. I don't like how my body responded to him being so close, and there's no way I can afford to look weak in front of the student body that is watching this encounter,the bloody vultures.
"A proposition. We have one to make to you later tonight." He moves closer once more, invading my personal space again. My breath hitches in my throat.
"A proposition? Why the hell would I be interested in hearing anything you and your psychotic friends have to say?" I tilt my chin, giving him my most haughty look from down my nose, my eyes hard.
He leans closer, his body heat warming mine, his scent tantalizing and making me close my eyes, unconsciously moving my head into the space between us. His lips hover closer to my right ear, so only I can hear his imparted words.
"You'd rather have a war and a bloodbath, hmmm? Somehow, I don't take you for being foolish, blondie; a cunning and calculating bitch, yes, but not foolish." He takes the opportunity to lick the shell of my ear. My body's response is instantaneous, and I break out in goosebumps all over my arms. Luckily, I’m wearing my uniform blazer, so as long as I school my face, no one can tell the effect he is having on me—especially him.Damn my traitorous body.
